Device for precutting a column for a floor

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for precutting a column for a floor. Said device includes a precutting means configured so as to be movable between a rest position and a precutting position.

The invention has for object a device for precutting a column for afloor, an associated system for setting up the device for precutting aswell as a method of coppicing a column for a floor.

Such a column is carried out by drilling or backflow of a floor that isdesired either to be consolidated in order to install therein a work onpaving or foundations, such as for example a building, a bridge or awind turbine, or a motorway or railroad backfill (this is then referredto as rigid inclusion), or to be structured in order to insert a directload transfer structure.

Once a recess, preferably vertical, is created in the floor either bydrilling, or by backflow, the recess is filled with a material, such asconcrete or mortar, possibly reinforced with a metal frame plunged intothe vertical recess.

It is known that a column carried out as such sometimes requires acoppicing at a given level, possibly under the surface of the floor.

This level is called the flat top level.

The step of coppicing consists of pollarding the column with a portionthat is flush with the surface of the floor, to the flat top level.

The step of coppicing makes it possible to clear the column of thefilling material, concrete or mortar, that may have been polluted duringthe steps of creating the column, which is at a level in the uppercolumn at flat top level required.

For columns of the rigid inclusion type, the step of coppicing isgenerally carried out by earthwork of the head of the column, when thefilling material, concrete or mortar, is still fresh, using a hydraulicexcavator, possibly provided with a bucket or a bailer.

For a low flat top level, as is for example the case during the settingup above the column of a load transfer mattress under paving orbackfill, a first operator removes the filling material with thehydraulic excavator, while a second operator visually inspects theprogressive drop in the level of the filling material in the columnuntil the desired flat top level is reached.

Note that the carrying out of the coppicing on the one hand and, on theother hand, visual, of the flat top level, are imprecise, which here isnot excessively prohibitive due to the fact that a mattress is placed onthe column formed.

For a column carried out under foundations, and for a flat top levelunder the floor surface, at a depth, referred to as low, less than onemetre, the carrying out of a more precise flat top level is needed.

As in the preceding case, a first operator removes the concrete or themortar, while a second operator controls the progressive drop in thelevel of the filling material in the column.

However, in this case, a visual inspection is not precise enough and useis made of an apparatus for measuring and for controlling the level forexample of the laser type, of which a receptor cell is installed on apattern.

The measurement apparatus is manipulated by the second operator whoplunges a rod, for example, carrying the pattern, in the column to thesurface of the fresh mortar or concrete. Here, the second operatormeasures the level of the surface of the filling material and determinesif the flat top level desired has been reached or if it is necessary tocontinue the coppicing.

This embodiment provides a prevision of about 5 to 10 centimetres. Sucha precision is sometimes not sufficient, and remains highly dependent onthe dexterity of the two operators.

For a flat top level exceeding one metre, even one metre and fiftycentimetres, the second operator often cannot manage to distinguish thesurface of the filling material, and it is not rare that the secondoperator plunges the rod carrying the pattern into the fresh fillingmaterial, which of course largely distorts the level reached by thefilling material.

The imprecision of the flat top level in these circumstances is notacceptable.

Moreover, the step of coppicing, carried out when the filling materialis still fresh, cannot be applied in all circumstances.

In particular, this is the case for a sandy floor or for a flat toplevel that is less than that of a water table.

Then, the step of coppicing risks to widen the recess and damage thecolumn to be levelled as well as the adjacent columns.

The purpose of this invention is to overcome these disadvantages atleast partially.

To this effect, the invention has for object a device for precutting acolumn for a floor, comprising a precutting means configured so as to bemovable between a rest position and a precutting position.

As such, when the filling material is still fresh, the device forprecutting according to this invention is displaced in the rest positionof the precutting means, along the column, then placed in the precuttingposition.

The device for precutting left in position during the hardening of thefilling material provides a precutting of the column at the desiredlevel due to the weakness that its presence induces during the hardeningof the filling material in the column.

Once the filling material has solidified, it is sufficient to exert aslight mechanical action on the head of the column in order to create aclean break at the level of the weakness induced by the device forprecutting, then to extract the column head delimited by the solidifiedfilling material to the precutting means remaining in the precuttingposition.

In this way, as the precutting position is chosen at the flat top leveldesired, the flat top level is carried out precisely and the method ofcoppicing is facilitated by the precutting of the column.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the precuttingmeans comprises at least one membrane able to be folded in the restposition and be deployed in the precutting position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the membrane hasthe general shape of a disc or of a half-disc in the deployed position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the devicecomprises a rigid structure for deploying the membrane from the foldedposition to the deployed position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the devicecomprises a control member for deploying the precutting means.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the devicecomprises an element configured to fasten the precutting means to asystem for setting in place the device for precutting.

The invention also has for object a system for setting into place thedevice for precutting such as described hereinabove, comprising aportion for guiding a displacement of the device for precutting and anelement for maintaining the device for precutting during saiddisplacement.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the element formaintaining comprises a slot configured to cooperate with the elementfor fastening the precutting means to the system for setting in placethe device for precutting.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the systemcomprises a means for driving of the control member of the device.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the systemcomprises a support frame of the portion for guiding (33).

The invention also has for object a method of coppicing a column for afloor comprising:

-   -   a step of displacing the device for precutting such as described        hereinabove in the column wherein a material intended to fill at        least partially the column, referred to as filling material, is        at least partially in a pasty form, with the device for        precutting being maintained in the rest position;    -   a step of setting in place the device for precutting in the        precutting position at a given depth of the column; and    -   once the filling material has solidified, a step of coppicing a        portion of the column extending to the device for precutting.

According to another characteristic of the invention, during the step ofdisplacement of the device for precutting, the device for precutting isguided in the column by a system for setting in place such as describedhereinabove.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention shall furtherappear when reading the following description. The latter is purely forthe purposes of information and must be read with regards to the annexeddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device for precutting in a restposition;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in a precuttingposition;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a system of setting in place thedevice of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the system of the FIG. 3 providedwith the device of the FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5a to 5c show a method for manufacturing a column for a floor.

DEVICE FOR PRECUTTING

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a device for precutting a column for afloor, referenced as 1, comprises a precutting means 2 configured so asto be movable between a rest position and a precutting position.

The precutting means 2 comprises a membrane 3 able to be folded back onitself in the rest position and to be deployed in the precuttingposition.

As can be seen particularly in FIG. 2, the membrane 3 has the generalshape of a disc.

The membrane 3 is made from a flexible material, such as for example aplastic or a fabric, synthetic or natural, and may be recycled.

Preferably, the membrane 3 has a diameter that is slightly less than thediameter of the volume.

The precutting means 2 also comprises a rigid structure 4 for deployingthe membrane 3 from the folded position to the deployed position.

As can be seen particularly in FIG. 2, the rigid structure 4 is a rigidframe comprising a set of bars 5, for example made of metal.

Each bar 5 forms a diameter whereon the membrane 3 securely rests.

In FIG. 2, the precutting means comprises three metal bars that delimitsix sectors 6 of the membrane 3, two other sectors 6 being delimited byan angle piece of the device 1, as shall be explained subsequently.

Each bar 5 is configured to pivot by its middle 7 about a centre 8 ofthe rigid structure 4 corresponding to the centre of the deployedmembrane 3.

Due to the fact that the membrane 3 is integral with the bars 5, thepivoting of the bars 5 drives the deployment or on the contrary thefolding back of the sectors 6, in the manner of a double flap.

As such, the rest position of the device for precutting 1 coincides withthe folded back position of the membrane 3, wherein the metal bars 5extend in a straight manner one on the other.

And, in the precutting position of the device 1, which coincides withthe deployed position of the membrane 3, the metal bars 5 are at adistance one from the other, in such a way that the sectors 6 are tightand the membrane 3 takes the shape of a disc.

The device for precutting 1 comprises a control member 9 for thedeployment of the precutting means 3.

In the embodiment shown, the control member 9 is a rod integral by oneof its ends 10 with the centre 8 of the membrane 3 and with the middles7 of the metal bars 5.

The rod 9 advantageously has a square section.

The rod 9 extends along an axis X that is substantially orthogonal to aplane P delimited by the metal bars 5.

The rod 9 is free to rotate about this axis X with respect to the anglepiece 12, and is driven in rotation about the axis X by a graspingdevice manipulated by an operator, as shall be explained in detailhereinafter.

As the metal bars 5 are integral by the middles 7 with the rod 9, therotation of the rod 9 about the axis X controls the rotation of themetal bars 5 about the centre 8.

The device for precutting 1 also comprises an element 12 configured tofasten the precutting means 2 to a system 30 for setting in place thedevice for precutting 1.

In the embodiment shown, the element 12 is an angle piece.

The angle piece 12 is a metal profile comprising two wings 13 and 14arranged orthogonally with respect to one another, in such a way thatthe profile has a section in the shape of an L.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the wing 13 of the angle piece 12 is arrangedion the plane P in deployed position.

The wing 13 is pierced with a recess 15 passed through by the controlrod 9, which allows the control rod 9 to reach the middles 7 of themetal bars 5

The membrane 3 rests securely on the wing 13 of the angle piece 12.

The wing 14 is intended to cooperate with a slot of the system 30 forsetting in place the device for precutting 1, as shall be explained inmore detail hereinafter.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown.

In particular, according to an alternative not shown, the device 1comprises two membranes of which the shape, in deployed position, is ahalf-disc, with the two membranes then being juxtaposed in such a way asto form a complete disc in the precutting position.

According to this alternative, it is also possible to not provide thedevice for precutting with metal frames.

In this case, each half-disc is would in the rest position over two endsof an axis pivoting about the control rod 9.

This alternative not shown has a lower production cost and carbonfootprint.

Note that the rigid structure 4 and/or the angle piece 12 can be madefrom metal, but also be comprised of a non-metal rigid material, such asa plastic for example.

Note that the invention is not limited to a deployment of the membrane 3by the rod 9 but other modes for driving can of course be applied.

System for Setting in Place the Device for Precutting

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the system 30 for setting in place thedevice for precutting 1 comprises a guiding portion 31 of a displacementof the device for precutting 1 and an element for maintaining 32 thedevice for precutting 1 during the displacement thereof.

The portion for guiding 31 comprises a hollow outer tube 33 that allowsfor the guiding of the system 30 in the filling material of the column,as shall be explained hereinbelow.

The hollow outer tube 33 comprises an outer wall 34 provided with threecentring devices 35 arranged substantially at 120° two-by-two.

The centring devices 35 allow for a guiding of the system 30 in thecolumn, as shall be explained hereinafter.

The hollow outer tube 33 is integral via one 36 of its ends 36, 37, withthe element for maintaining 32.

The outer tube 33 comprises on the wall 34 a receptor cell of anapparatus for measuring distance, more preferably of the laser type, notshown, and of which the position can be adjusted along the outer tube.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the element for maintaining 32 is aparallelepiped 40 provided with a slot 39, and integral via one of itssides with the end 36 of the outer tube 33.

The slot 39 is configured to cooperate with the angle piece 12 of thedevice for precutting 1.

The slot 39 has a depth that is greater than a width of the wing 14 ofthe angle piece 12 and a separation that is greater than a thickness ofthe wing 14 of the angle piece 12.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the device for precutting 1 is maintained inthe rest position by the system 30, with the wing 14 being inserted intothe slot 39, the wing 13, the rigid structure 4 and the membrane 3, infolded back position, overhanging the slot 39.

As such, the element of maintaining 32 maintains the device forprecutting 1 in all directions except for a direction that makes itpossible to release the device for precutting 1.

In the embodiment shown, the angle piece 12 is maintained simply viafriction, as shall be explained hereinbelow later.

The system 30 for setting in place also comprises an inner tube 41 thatis concentric to the outer tube 33.

The inner tube 41 forms a means for driving the control member of thedevice.

The inner tube 41 extends into the outer tube 33 by being maintained byan abutment not shown that limits any rotation of the inner tube 41 inrelation to the outer tube 33 to 180°.

The inner tube 41 comprises two ends 42, 43, arranged respectively withregards to the end 37, 36 of the outer tube 33.

The end 42, intended to remain above the surface of the floor, isprovided with a grasping device 44, such as a crank handle.

The crank handle makes it possible to impress a rotation movement of theinner tube 41 and therefore a movement of rotation of the control rod 9in relation to the outer tube 33 and consequently to the element formaintaining 32 and to the angle piece 12.

The end 43 is a housing of which one section is of the same shape as thesection of the rod 9, advantageously with a square shape, in such a waythat the end 43 receives the control rod 9 of the device for precutting.

Note that the weight of the system 30 can advantageously be adapted tothe flat top level desired, and in particular made heavier for alowering of the device for precutting 1 to deep depths.

It is also possible that the outer tube be splined in such a way as toform a rack, which makes it possible to control the lowering of thesystem 30 including to deep depths.

The rack is activated manually or using an electric or hydraulic motor,more preferably mounted on a ball joint in order to adjust theverticality.

The entire system for setting in place of the device 1 and of the rackis mounted on a frame, and installed for example on a mobile piece ofequipment of the mini excavator or forklift truck type.

It is also possible to provide the element for maintaining with alocking mechanism, provided with for example a trigger, and configuredto maintain the angle piece 12 in the slot 39 in the rest position andto release the membrane once the device 1 is set in place at the desireddepth.

Method of Coppicing

The invention also has for object a method of coppicing a column for afloor.

Such a column is shown in FIGS. 5a to 5 c.

The column 50 comprises a recess 51 carried out for example by drillingor backflow in a floor S and filled with a filling material, such asconcrete or mortar, possible reinforced with a metal frame plunged intothe recess 51.

The invention can in particular be applied to a column of the rigidinclusion type which allows for the reinforcement of the floor S, or toa load transfer column, which may be reinforced.

As shown in FIG. 5a , the method of coppicing comprises a step ofdisplacement of the device for precutting 1 in the column 50 wherein thefilling material, is at least partially in a pasty form, with the devicefor precutting being maintained in the rest position.

The term pasty form means that the filling material, such as concrete ormortar, has not yet acquired its final hardness, in such a way that thedevice 1 and the system 3 can be displaced in the filling material.

During this step, the device for precutting 1 is displaced via theinsertion of the system for setting in place 30 in the column 50, withthe device for precutting 1 being maintained by the angle piece 12 inthe slot 39.

The system for setting in place 30 is plunged, more preferablyvertically, into the column 50.

The centring devices 35 ensure that the system for setting in place 30is directed vertically in the column 50.

The friction exerted on the device for precutting 1 is sufficient formaintaining the wing 34 of the angle piece 12 in the slot 39.

The method comprises, shown in FIG. 5b , a step of setting in place thedevice for precutting 1 in the precutting position at a given depth ofthe column 50.

The depth reached is indicated by the apparatus for measuring distance,in a way known to those skilled in the art.

The position of the device for precutting 1 at the desired depth in thecolumn is checked using the laser level and the pattern arranged on theouter tube.

This depth corresponds to a desired flat top level, as shall beexplained.

During this step, once the desired depth has been reached and checked,an operator pivots the grasping device 44, which generates the rotationof the control rod 9 and the deployment of the membrane 3 from thefolded back position to the deployed position.

The method comprises a later step of raising the system for setting inplace 30, while the device for precutting 1 remains immobile due to thepressure exerted by the filling material on the membrane 3 deployed.

Then, the filling material is allowed to solidify.

Advantageously, the steps for setting in place another device forprecutting for another column are reproduced.

As shown in FIG. 5c , for example after 24 hours, the method alsocomprises, once the solidified filling material, a step of coppicing aportion of the column 50 extending to the device for precutting 1.

During this step, an operator manipulates an excavator, for example, inorder to pollard the portion 52 of the column 50 that is flush with thesurface of the floor, to the device for precutting 1, also called thecolumn head

The membrane 3 in deployed position provides the precutting of thecolumn during the hardening of the filling material in the column 50. Assuch, the excavator applies an impact at the column head, which has foreffect to cleanly break the column head 52 on the device for precutting1.

As such, the extraction of the portion 52 ensures that the flat toplevel is reached.

This invention has multiple advantages.

The flat top level marked by the device 1 and obtained by the method ofcoppicing according to this invention is precise and is in line with theexecution tolerances imposed by the ASIRI recommendations. The precisionobtained is of about a centimetre.

The global cost of the works is reduced due to the precision of theindication of the flat top level, which avoids any reworking of the flattops after the work site.

Moreover, the material and human resources are also reduced.

The material resources require simply a single-use device 1 that is easyto manufacture and set into position in the column, and a mobile system30, that can be reused immediately for each column of the work site,which may be able to be removed in order to allow for easy rinsing.

A single operator is sufficient to proceed with the lowering in thecolumn 50 of the system 30 provided with the device 1.

In addition, one of the major interests in the device for precutting 1is to allow for the carrying out of precise flat tops at depthsexceeding 1 metre, even 1.5 metre, which are impossible to carry out forcolumns of the rigid inclusion type with known prior art, as has alreadybeen explained.

1. A device for precutting a column for a floor, comprising a precuttingmeans configured so as to be movable between a rest position and aprecutting position.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the precuttingmeans comprises a membrane that can be folded in the rest position andbe deployed in the precutting position.
 3. The device of claim 2,wherein the membrane has the general shape of a disc or a half-disc inthe deployed position.
 4. The device of claim 2, comprising a rigidstructure for the deployment of the membrane from the folded position tothe deployed position.
 5. The device of claim 4, comprising a controlmember for the deployment of the precutting means.
 6. The device ofclaim 5, comprising an element configured to fasten the precutting meansto a system for setting in place the device for precutting.
 7. A systemfor setting in place a device for precutting, comprising a portion forguiding a displacement of the device for precutting and an element formaintaining the device for precutting during said displacement.
 8. Thesystem of claim 7, wherein the element for maintaining comprises a slotconfigured to cooperate with the element for fastening the precuttingmeans to the system for setting in place the device for precutting. 9.The system of claim 8, comprising a means for driving the control memberof the device for precutting.
 10. The system of claim 9, comprising asupport frame of the guiding portion.
 11. A method of coppicing a columnfor a floor comprising: a step of displacing the device for precuttingthe column wherein a material intended to fill at least partially thecolumn, referred to as filling material, is at least partially in apasty form, with the device for precutting being maintained in the restposition; a step of setting in place the device for precutting in theprecutting position at a given depth of the column; and once the fillingmaterial is solidified, a step of coppicing a portion of the columnextending to the device for precutting.
 12. The copiccing method ofclaim 11, wherein, during the step of displacing the device forprecutting, the device for precutting is guided in the column by asystem for setting in place.